Expedient synthesis of N-Z-pyroglutamyl-amino acid derivatives

N-Z-pyroglutamyl pseudopeptides 3a-c are shown to be conveniently prepared from glutamyl-bis-Bt 1a by cyclization of an N-terminal glutamic acid residue. Structures are supported by 2D NMR studies and by comparison with the same products prepared by direct coupling of the C-terminus activated N-pGlu 1b and free amino acids 2a-c.     

The Function of Embryonic Stem Cell-expressed RAS (E-RAS), a Unique RAS Family Member,Correlates with Its Additional Motifs and Its Structural Properties

E-RAS is a member of the RAS family specifically expressed in embryonic stem cells, gastric tumors, and hepatic stellate cells. Unlike classical RAS isoforms (H-, N-, and K-RAS4B), E-RAS has, in addition to striking and remarkable sequence deviations, an extended 38-amino acid-long unique N-terminal region with still unknown functions. We investigated the molecular mechanism of E-RAS regulation and function with respect to its sequence and structural features. We found that N-terminal extension of E-RAS is important for E-RAS signaling activity. E-RAS protein most remarkably revealed a different mode of effector interaction as compared with H-RAS, which correlates with deviations in the effector-binding site of E-RAS. Of all these residues, tryptophan 79 (arginine 41 in H-RAS), in the interswitch region, modulates the effector selectivity of RAS proteins from H-RAS to E-RAS features.     

低能离子束介导的遗传转化研究进展

低能离子束注入对细胞的刻蚀作用提供了外源遗传物质进入细胞的途径,离子束介导的遗传转化技术已在水稻,小麦,烟草,棉花等多种植物上取得成功,对离子束介导遗传转化的原理和最新进展进行了评述。．     

Hydrocyclones as cell retention device for CHO perfusion processes in single-use bioreactors

In this study, a hydrocyclone (HC) especially designed for mammalian cell separation was applied for the separation of Chinese hamster ovary cells. The effect of key features on the separation efficiency, such as type of pumphead in the peristaltic feed pump, use of an auxiliary pump to control the perfusate flow rate, and tubing size in the recirculation loop were evaluated in batch separation tests. Based on these preliminary batch tests, the HC was then integrated to 50-L disposable bioreactor bags. Three perfusion runs were performed, including one where perfusion was started from a low-viability late fed-batch culture, and viability was restored. The successive runs allowed optimization of the HC-bag configuration, and cultivations with 20–25 days duration at cell concentrations up to 50 × 10⁶ cells/ml were performed. Separation efficiencies up to 96% were achieved at pressure drops up to 2.5 bar, with no issues of product retention. To our knowledge, this is the first report in literature of high cell densities obtained with a HC integrated to a disposable perfusion bioreactor.     

Influence of genotype and some ecological factors on volatile oil production of camomile plants

Abstract

Working with spontaneous and meliorated camomile plants (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rausch.) cultivated in different pedo-climatic conditions, a quantitative and qualitative variation of active principle was registered. The different expression of the biosynthetic potential varied from a genotype to another, being influenced by the growing sites, precipitation regime and light intensity. Diurnal oscillations of active principle accumulation and monthly differences of essential oil and chamazulene content were evidentiated. An important stimulation of volatile oil synthesis was obtained by gamma ray fruit irradiation.     

On the development of a standard two-dimensional polypeptide map of the human X chromosome

Summary Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis of a rodent-human somatic cell hybrid containing the X as the only human chromosome reveals three polypeptides that are absent in the parental cell line. The presence of these spots in human female fibroblasts indicates their human origin. The polypeptides have molecular weights and isoelectric points of 30,000/5.8, 37,000/5.4, and 57,000/4.7 and are designated as PFHG 1, PFHG 2, and PFHG 3. Comparison of their molecular characteristics with those of polypeptides assigned to the human X in two other investigations shows that some but not all polypeptides are similar. Factors are discussed that might interfere with the rapid development of a standardized polypeptide map of the human X.     

Lipopolysaccharide-induced liver apoptosis is increased in interleukin-10 knockout mice

Although IL-10 down-regulates pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion by hepatic Kupffer cells, the mechanisms underlying its hepatoprotective effects are not fully clear. This study tested the hypothesis that IL-10 protects the liver against pro-inflammatory cytokines by counteracting their pro-apoptotic effects. Wild type and IL-10 knockout mice were treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide and sacrificed 1, 4, 8, and 12 h later. Plasma ALT activity was measured as a marker of liver injury. Liver pathology and TUNEL response were assessed by histology. Plasma levels and whole liver mRNA levels were measured for TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, TGF-beta1, IL-10, and their respective receptors. Hepatic mRNA levels were measured for several pro-apoptotic adaptors/regulators, including FasL, Fas receptor, FADD, TRADD, Bad, Bak, Bax, and Bcl-X(S), and anti-apoptotic regulators, including Bcl-w, Bcl-X(L), Bcl-2, and Bfl-1. Caspase-3 activity in the liver was determined as well as immunohistochemistry for IL-1RII, TGF-betaRII and Fas receptor. At all time points the livers from IL-10 knockout mice displayed a significantly increased number of apoptotic nuclei compared to wild type mice. Changes in plasma cytokine levels and their liver mRNA levels were consistent with suppression by IL-10 of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. In addition, pro-inflammatory cytokine receptor mRNA levels (TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, and IL-1 beta) were markedly up-regulated by LPS at all time points in IL-10 knockout mice as compared to wild type mice. Expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine receptor IL-1RII was similarly increased as shown by immunostaining. The mRNA levels of a typical pro-apoptotic cytokine, TRAIL, were increased and LPS also up-regulated the mRNA expression of other apoptotic factors to a larger extent in IL-10 knockout mice than in their wild type counterparts, suggestive of an IL-10 anti-apoptotic effect. In the livers of knockout mice, markedly increased caspase-3 activity was already evident at the 1-h time point following LPS administration, while in the wild type animals this increase was delayed. Immunostaining also indicated that LPS increased hepatic expression of the pro-apoptotic receptors Fas and TGF-betaRII in IL-10 knockout mice. The data presented in this study show that: (i) IL-10 modulates not only the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, but also the receptors of these cytokines, and ii) IL-10 protects the liver against LPS-induced injury at least in part by counteracting pro-inflammatory cytokine-induced liver apoptosis.